CUTTACK: As judicial inquiry into the March 16 fire mishap at SCB Medical College and Hospital is underway, the hospital management is setting up a new 20-bed trauma ICU in the surgery department as an interim measure. The facility is expected to open by April 25.
The move has been taken on the directions of the Orissa High Court which emphasised that the ongoing judicial probe should not hinder or cause delay in restoration of the trauma care ICU.
As the trauma care ICU, which was gutted in the fire, is lying locked for the ongoing judicial inquiry, it will not be possible to restore it anytime soon. Accordingly, a new ICU is being set up on the ground floor of the surgery department for treatment of trauma patients, said a senior official of SCBMCH.
“All the civil and electrical works of the new 20-bed ICU have been completed by the Roads & Building division, General Electricity department (GED) and WATCO. Officials of the three line departments have assured to hand it over to SCBMCH on Monday (April 20),” he added.
The official further said that medical equipment like monitors, ventilators, suction system and oxygen supply lines have already been supplied by Odisha State Medical Corporation (OSMC). “The medical equipment will be installed after the Roads & Building division hands over the facility to us. We are hopeful of making the new trauma care ICU operational by April 25 after availing fire safety certificate,” he added.
“The repair and restoration work of the trauma care ICU which was gutted in the fire mishap will be expedited after completion of the judicial inquiry. The repair works are expected to take around two months,” the official said.
As of now, patients are being provided treatment in orthopaedic and neurosurgery ICUs.